NIGP 39007: Cheese

NIGP 39007 Cheese, an Item code, covers individually wrapped shelf-stable cheese sticks and planks for school nutrition programs, bulk shredded and sliced cheese for institutional foodservice at correctional facilities and state hospitals, and specialty cheese products for multi-venue food concession operations—procured by state departments, counties, school districts, and special-purpose facilities across a distributed network of issuing bodies. State and local buyers under this code are acquiring shelf-stable cheese in high-volume, long-term contracts to support child nutrition programs, state-facility dining, and regional park concessions; products range from individually portioned one-ounce sticks in flavored varieties to bulk shredded blends and sliced low-sodium formats, all subject to strict FDA, USDA, and state food safety compliance including Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP standards, shelf-life minimums (typically six months), and sodium or fat-content ceilings. Issuing bodies include state procurement offices (California Department of General Services, Oregon Department of Corrections, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office), school districts (New Haven Public Schools, Bridgeport Board of Education, Pinellas County Schools, Early County Board of Education), county parks departments (Collier County), and state-operated facilities (Texas Department of Criminal Justice, various state-supported living centers and state hospitals).

Recent activity spans California, Oregon, Texas, Connecticut, Illinois, Florida, and Georgia, with concentrated solicitation in the Southwest and institutional foodservice sectors. Representative recent opportunities include the City of New Haven and Board of Education Food Service RFP (due October 27, 2026) for 80,000 portions of individually wrapped, one-ounce shelf-stable cheese sticks across four flavors for the 2026–2027 school year with mandatory pre-proposal meeting October 14, 2026; Collier County Board of County Commissioners ITN (due March 6, 2025) for food vendor concession services at North Collier Regional Park including cheese-based menu offerings with a 10-point local-vendor preference; the State of California Department of General Services IFB (due September 15, 2026) establishing a statewide mandatory two-year cheese contract with estimated spend of $3.26 million for processed and natural cheeses and $1.20 million for individually wrapped mozzarella string cheese across 49 state facilities; and the Oregon Department of Corrections ITBs (due July 23 and September 4, 2026) for approximately 80,000 to 120,000 pounds of shredded blend cheese at $1.10–$1.15 per pound with five-percent Oregon-fabricated and resident-bidder preferences. Pricing structures vary widely—fixed unit costs per pound for bulk institutional contracts, per-portion pricing for school supply, and per-case or per-ounce rates for individually wrapped products—with contract terms typically one to three years and renewal options of one to two additional years. Buy American and local-vendor preferences appear in school and municipal solicitations; socioeconomic set-asides (SBE, MBE, WBE) are evaluated but not required in most recent postings.